McCain’s Unintentionally Revealing Ambiguity

McCain’s Unintentionally Revealing Ambiguity

McCain’s Unintentionally Revealing Ambiguity

My favorite snippet from McCain’s speech today on Iraq:

Iraqi forces recently battled in Basra against radical Shi’a militias, supported by Iran…

Note the grammatical indeterminacy. Are the Iraqi forces “supported by Iran” or are the radical Shi’a militias the ones “supported by Iran”? Unclear, both in the text of the speech and in real life.

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

My favorite snippet from McCain’s speech today on Iraq:

Iraqi forces recently battled in Basra against radical Shi’a militias, supported by Iran…

Note the grammatical indeterminacy. Are the Iraqi forces “supported by Iran” or are the radical Shi’a militias the ones “supported by Iran”? Unclear, both in the text of the speech and in real life.

Your support makes stories like this possible

From illegal war on Iran to an inhumane fuel blockade of Cuba, from AI weapons to crypto corruption, this is a time of staggering chaos, cruelty, and violence. 

Unlike other publications that parrot the views of authoritarians, billionaires, and corporations, The Nation publishes stories that hold the powerful to account and center the communities too often denied a voice in the national media—stories like the one you’ve just read.

Each day, our journalism cuts through lies and distortions, contextualizes the developments reshaping politics around the globe, and advances progressive ideas that oxygenate our movements and instigate change in the halls of power. 

This independent journalism is only possible with the support of our readers. If you want to see more urgent coverage like this, please donate to The Nation today.

Ad Policy
x